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Monday, December 12, 2016

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 12/12/16

It's Monday! What are you reading? was started by Sheila at Book Journey and was adapted for children's books from picture books through YA by Jen of Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee of Unleashing Readers. You can visit either site for a round up of blogs sharing their weekly readings and thoughts or search Twitter for #IMWAYR.

Picture Books

The Storyteller (2016) by Evan Turk. My jury is still out on this one. I was in Morocco almost exactly a year ago, and in some ways this book seems more pan-African or pan-Islamic than really Moroccan (although the artistic nods to Marrakesh are well done). I also felt like the story itself was a bit judgmental, accusing the modern day inhabitants of forgetting their own stories. I know some people are really drawn to the art style as well, but I wasn't one of those people. What do you think?

Before Morning (2016) by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Beth Krommes. I loved the style of the illustrations for this book, as well as the sparse, poetic text. The one thing that pulled me out of the story, however, is the backstory in the illustrations (specifically that planes would be grounded due to snow but a pilot could hitch a ride on a plow and get home?). Maybe that's just me.

Middle Grade

Stella by Starlight (2015) by Sharon M. Draper. I listened to the audiobook on a recent road trip and was captivated by the story. Most Civil Rights or KKK stories for middle grade seem to take place in the 1960s when change is finally in the air, but this book takes place in North Carolina in the 1930s. I though the book did a great job of highlighting the tension between the two sides of this racially divided town, as well as creating complex characters on all sides. Highly recommended.

I still need to read The Storyteller, so many holds at the library, but I will! And I love Before Morning, a beauty to re-visit all the seasons! Stella by Starlight is wonderful, I agree. I wish everyone could have read it this fall since it has part connected to voting rights. Thanks, Katie.

I'm in the middle of Stella by Starlight now and really enjoying the setting and time period. I have requested The Storyteller from the library. What you've written sounds problematic, so I'll definitely be reading with this in mind. I did like Turk's art quite a bit from the Grandfather Gandhi books.

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Logo / naut: word sailor. Logonauts celebrate the power of words and language. Join us on this journey through words, books, and geography in elementary and middle school. Read more in the About Me page.

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